Sedigh Kamangar
Encyclopedia
Sedigh Kamangar known as Kak Sedigh was a lawyer and one of the founders and leaders of Komalah
, a left-wing Kurdish political party. He was assassinated in Iraqi Kurdistan
by an agent of the Iranian regime
.
and graduated in 1971. He later started his own law firm in 1974 and worked as a successful lawyer in the city of Sanandaj
(Sena).
. Komalah was a socialist and Marxist group which separated itself from the Soviet bloc and worked for a society based on liberty, equality and social justice. In 1983 Komala and other Iranian leftist groups formed the Communist Party of Iran
.
Kak Sedigh was a highly respected and admired person among the people of the Kurdistan province
and is best known for his strong leadership during the 1979 post-revolutionary tensions between the Islamic regime and the Kurdish people in Iranian Kurdistan
. Having experienced political, ethnic and cultural discriminations under the Shah’s
regime, the Kurds now demanded these rights from the new government.
Days after the 1979 revolution, Kak Sedigh encouraged the people of Sanandaj
directly from the local radio and television station, to take over the city’s military base prior to the new government’s arrival. And so the city was now in the hands of the Kurdish people and freedom fighters (peshmerga). Consequently, the leaders in Tehran sent a delegate consisting of members of the Council of the Islamic Revolution, including Taleghani, Rafsenjani and Banisadr, to Sanandaj to solve the problem. Thus, a meeting was organised where Taleghani, not aware of Kak Sedigh’s presence at this meeting, asked: “Who is this Sedigh Kamangar so that I can execute him right away?". All of a sudden, Kak Sedigh fearlessly shouted out “I am Sedigh Kamangar. Who are you? And what’s your place in this revolution?”
The government’s representatives who had come to bring Kak Sedigh and other leaders to "Islamic justice", were forced to negotiate with the Kurds and accept their demands on organising their own councils. However, this was never implemented by the central government and Kurdish revolt was dealt with harshly after Khomeini’s
order of a holy war against the Kurds. Nevertheless the Kurdish people managed to keep their autonomy until the spring of 1980 when a huge military campaign was organized against them. Subsequently, Komalah and some other Iranian opposition groups were forced to retreat to the Iraqi Kurdistan where Kak Sedigh and his comrades continued their resistance.
on the night of September 4, 1989 by his own bodyguard Tofigh Gerjhali, a traitor sent from the Iranian regime. Gerjhali managed to flee on the night of the assassination.
Kak Sedigh had earlier lost two brothers in this struggle against the Islamic regime, Raauf Kamangar in 1979 and Maaruf Kamangar in 1983.
Komalah
Komala or Komalah is a Kurdish political party in Iran . The word Komele in Kurdish is derived from Komel and means "association".-Political background:...
, a left-wing Kurdish political party. He was assassinated in Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
by an agent of the Iranian regime
Politics of Iran
The politics of Iran take place in a framework of theocracy guided by an Islamist ideology. The December 1979 constitution, and its 1989 amendment, define the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic Republic of Iran, declaring that Shi'a Islam of the Twelver school of thought is...
.
Private life
Kak Sedigh was the seventh child and the eldest son of a large family of 10 siblings. He studied Law at the University of TehranUniversity of Tehran
The University of Tehran , also known as Tehran University and UT, is Iran's oldest university. Located in Tehran, the university is among the most prestigious in the country, and is consistently selected as the first choice of many applicants in the annual nationwide entrance exam for top Iranian...
and graduated in 1971. He later started his own law firm in 1974 and worked as a successful lawyer in the city of Sanandaj
Sanandaj
Sanandaj , also Romanized as Senneh and Sinneh) is a city in and the capital of Kurdistan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 311,446, in 81,380 families....
(Sena).
Political Struggle
As a young teenager Kak Sedigh had always been curious about the society and questioned its different patterns. His political engagement enhanced during his time at university where he came to know other likeminded students. In 1969 Kak Sedigh and a group of Kurdish friends founded a political party which later came to be called KomalahKomalah
Komala or Komalah is a Kurdish political party in Iran . The word Komele in Kurdish is derived from Komel and means "association".-Political background:...
. Komalah was a socialist and Marxist group which separated itself from the Soviet bloc and worked for a society based on liberty, equality and social justice. In 1983 Komala and other Iranian leftist groups formed the Communist Party of Iran
Communist Party of Iran
The Communist Party of Iran is an Iranian communist party which is active in the fight against the Islamic Republic of Iran.It was founded in 1983 in Iranian Kurdistan after Komalah merged with Union of Communist Militants...
.
Kak Sedigh was a highly respected and admired person among the people of the Kurdistan province
Kurdistan Province
Kurdistan Province or Kordestan Province or Kurdestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, not to be confused with the greater geographical area of Iranian Kurdistan. The province of Kurdistan is 28,817 km² in area which encompasses just one-fourth of the Kurdish inhabited areas of Iran or...
and is best known for his strong leadership during the 1979 post-revolutionary tensions between the Islamic regime and the Kurdish people in Iranian Kurdistan
Iranian Kurdistan
Iranian Kurdistan is an unofficial name for the parts of Iran inhabited by Kurds and has borders with Iraq and Turkey. It includes Kurdistan Province, Kermanshah Province, Ilam Province and parts of West Azerbaijan province....
. Having experienced political, ethnic and cultural discriminations under the Shah’s
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
regime, the Kurds now demanded these rights from the new government.
Days after the 1979 revolution, Kak Sedigh encouraged the people of Sanandaj
Sanandaj
Sanandaj , also Romanized as Senneh and Sinneh) is a city in and the capital of Kurdistan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 311,446, in 81,380 families....
directly from the local radio and television station, to take over the city’s military base prior to the new government’s arrival. And so the city was now in the hands of the Kurdish people and freedom fighters (peshmerga). Consequently, the leaders in Tehran sent a delegate consisting of members of the Council of the Islamic Revolution, including Taleghani, Rafsenjani and Banisadr, to Sanandaj to solve the problem. Thus, a meeting was organised where Taleghani, not aware of Kak Sedigh’s presence at this meeting, asked: “Who is this Sedigh Kamangar so that I can execute him right away?". All of a sudden, Kak Sedigh fearlessly shouted out “I am Sedigh Kamangar. Who are you? And what’s your place in this revolution?”
The government’s representatives who had come to bring Kak Sedigh and other leaders to "Islamic justice", were forced to negotiate with the Kurds and accept their demands on organising their own councils. However, this was never implemented by the central government and Kurdish revolt was dealt with harshly after Khomeini’s
Ruhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
order of a holy war against the Kurds. Nevertheless the Kurdish people managed to keep their autonomy until the spring of 1980 when a huge military campaign was organized against them. Subsequently, Komalah and some other Iranian opposition groups were forced to retreat to the Iraqi Kurdistan where Kak Sedigh and his comrades continued their resistance.
Assassination
Kak Sedigh was assassinated at Komalah’s headquarters in Iraqi KurdistanIraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
on the night of September 4, 1989 by his own bodyguard Tofigh Gerjhali, a traitor sent from the Iranian regime. Gerjhali managed to flee on the night of the assassination.
Kak Sedigh had earlier lost two brothers in this struggle against the Islamic regime, Raauf Kamangar in 1979 and Maaruf Kamangar in 1983.